Article carrier



Feb. 25, 1936..

A. E. THUMsv 2,031,866

ARTICLE CARRIER Filed July 5, 1935 Fig 1r' Patented Feb. 25, 1936 EE!) STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to article carriers and more particularly to carriers adapted to handle one or a plurality of milk bottles or the like.

One object or" this invention is to facilitate the handling and distribution of milk bottles and the like.

Another object of this invention is to enable the ready carrying of one or more milk bottles without damaging the protective caps with which such bottles frequently are provided.

A further object of this invention is to provide a rugged, compact and lightweight article carrier 1 which may be fabricated in quantity at relatively low cost.

In one illustrative embodiment of this invention, a carrier for milk bottles comprises a handle, a plate member carried thereby, and a plurality of fixed jaws on the plate each adapted to conform to and partially encompass the top portion of a milk bottle. A plurality of movable jaws are provided, one in juxtaposition to each of the fixed jaws, and each having a portion adapted to conform to and partially encompass the top portion of a milk bottle. The movable jaws are slidably mounted upon the plate member and are engaged by spring members which tend to draw each of the movable jaws toward a corresponding one of the Xed jaws whereby a milk bottle may be securely grasped between each fixed jaw and the movable jaw associated therewith. The movable jaws may be manipulated individually by lever members coupled thereto and carriedby the plate.

The invention and the features thereof will be understood more clearly and fully from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a milk bottle carrier constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the carrier shown in Fig. 1, the handle being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the carrier with the lever members removed;

Fig. 4 is a view in cross section along line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the movable jaw members of the carrier shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, the carrier shown therein comprises a plate member Il), which may be a sheet metal stamping, having peripheral flanges I I and provided with a series of apertures I2 having substantially oval portions I3, which portions may be arranged in rows as shown. The plate member I is provided also with pairs of parallel guide slots I4, each pair being disposed on opposite sides of one of the apertures I2, and is provided also with other slots I5.

A handle I6 having side arms I'I extending below the plate member I0 is secured to opposite of the flanges I I by rivets or screws I6.

A plurality of jaw members, designated generally as I9, are secured to the plate member I3, each of the jaw members I9 including a flange 20 secured to the plate member Ill, as by rivets 2l, and a depending or lip portion 22, which may be of a shape substantially conforming to the neck portion 23 of a milk bottle, extending through one of the oval apertures I3.

Disposed one in juxtaposition to each of the jaw members I9, are a plurality of movable jaw members, designated generally as 24, each of which, as shown more clearly in Fig. 5, includes a depending or lip portion 25, also of a shape to substantially conform to the neck portion 23 of a milk bottle. Each of the jaw members 24 includes also a pair of parallel flanges or guides 26 adapted to slide in the guide slots I4, the end portions 2'I of the anges or guides 26 being bent inwardly to prevent dislodgement of. the movable jaw members from the plate member I0.

As shown clearly in Fig. 3, each of the flanges or guides 26 has secured thereto a tension spring 28, which is secured also to one of the flanges I I, the springs 28 serving to draw the movable jaw members toward the corresponding fixed jaw members whereby milk bottles will be securely grasped and held, the lip 26 of each bottle resting upon the jaw members, as shown clearly in Fig. 4.

The movable jaw members 24 adjacent the ends of the plate member I0 may be manipulated individually to move them in the direction away from the corresponding fixed jaw members I9 by levers. Each of these levers includes a bracket portion 30 rotatably mounted on a rod or shaft 3| extending between and carried by the side arms I'I of the handle I6 and an arm 32 integral with the bracket portion 30 and extending through one of the slots I and in proximity to the handle I6. Each of these levers includes also an integral lug or arm portion 33 which extends through an aperture 34 in the corresponding movable jaw member 24.

The intermediate movable jaw members 24 may be manipulated by levers each of which includes an arm portion 35 extending through `an aperture 34 in the corresponding jaw member and an integral bracket portion 36 loosely mounted on the rod or shaft 3|.

The various jaw members and levers described heretofore may be stamped from sheet metal. It will be apparent, then, that carriers constructed in accordance with this invention embody a minimum of parts and may be assembled expeditiously in quantity and at relatively low cost.

In the operation of the carrier, the movable jaw members 24 may be manipulated individually by the levers so that they slide away from the corresponding xed jaw members I9 and one or more milk bottles or the like may be inserted into the oval apertures I3. When the levers are released, the movable jaw members 26, actuated by the springs 2,8, slide toward the corresponding fixed jaw members and engage and partly encompass the neck portion of the milk bottles. The xlip portions 22 -and- 25 form relatively large' grasping surfaces so that the milk bottles are securely held and swaying thereof and contact with one another is prevented. Furthermore, it will be apparent that, inasmuch as the jaw members 24 slide in a direction at right angles to the longiti dinal axis of the neck portion 23 of the milk bottles, the protective cap 36 frequently provided is not damaged, and, moreover, chipping of the lip 29 of the bottles by manipulation 'of the jaw members will not occur.

Although the invention has been illustrated and described with reference to a carrier adapted' for the handling of vsix bottles,'it will be understood that it'may be embodiedalso in carriers for a greater or lesser number kof bottles. Furthermore, it vvill'be understood that various modifications may be'made in the specific embodiment shownand described Without'dep'arting from the scope and spirit of this invention as defined in the appended claims;

' What is claimed is: y

1'. An article carrier comprising a plate having an aperture therein for receiving'a portion of the article, said plate having alguide slotadjacent said aperture; a jawine'mber secured to said plate adjacent said aperture',y another jaw member on said plate in cooperative relation to said i'r'st'jaw member and adapted tograsp said portion of said article therewith', said seoond'jaw` member having a an'ge"slidably'disposed'in said guide slot, resilient means drawing "said" second jaw member toward said rst jaw member, and a lever coupled to said 'second jaw member for'slidably moving said second jaw member away from said first jaw member.

2. An article carrier comprising a plate having an aperture therein for receiving a portion of the article and having also parallel guide means on opposite sides of said aperture, a jaw member secured to said plate and having a lip portion adjacent said aperture and conforming to said portion of said article, another jaw member having a lip portion in juxtaposition to said rst lip portion and adapted to conform to said portion of said article, and having also flanges slidably disposed in said guide means, springs secured to said anges and to said plate drawing said second jaw member toward said rst jaw member, and a lever engaging said second jaw member and adapted to slidably move said second jaw member away from said first jaw member.

' 3. An article carrier comprising a plate, a plurality of pairs of cooperative jaw members carried by said plate, one jaw member of each o fsaid pairs lbeing slidably mounted on said plate, spring means secured to said plate and to each of said slidable jaw members drawingeach of said slidable jawmembers vtoward the cooperating jaw member corresponding thereto, and levermembers coupled one to each of said slidable jaw members for individually moving saidy slidable jaw members away from the'j'aw members correspond- "ing thereto. l

Y4. A bottle carrier comprising .a handle, a plate secured to said handle and having a plurality of apertures therein, Yeach adapted to receive the neck portion of a bottlefsaidplate having also guide slots adjacent veach of said apertures, xed jawmembers securedto said plate adjacent said apertures, other jaw members disposed one in jui(- tapos'ition to eachofs'aid'xed jaw memberl's'an'd e'aclreuiapted to graspA the neck portion .of abotftle 'with'the corresponding iixedjaw member, each Aof said other jaw members having 'iianges slidably disposedin said guide slots, a shaft secured to said plate, and' aplurality' of levers mounted on `said shaft, each of Vsaid levers being coupled to a corresponding oneof Asaid other j aw members wheref by' 'said therjavv members maybe moved individually relative to ythe"corresponding fiXed'jaw membe ADQLPrIUs E. THUMs. 

